Aspiration Pneumonia

What is aspiration pneumonia?

Aspiration pneumonia is a lung infection that develops after you aspirate (inhale) food, liquid, or vomit into your lungs. You can also aspirate food or liquid from your stomach that backs up into your esophagus. If you are not able to cough up the aspirated material, bacteria can grow in your lungs and cause an infection.

Your risk is higher if you have been diagnosed with PLS, ALS or another form of motor neuron disorder primarily because as your muscles weaken you will have difficulty swallowing.

There are ways to reduce the risk, it is the reason why you should consult with a speech therapist. A speech therapist won’t be able to help you improve your speech but the tips and tricks to avoid issues are important to get a hold of.